The worth of gold
by Guy who may like dragons
Summary: A young human finds himself trapped in the city beneath the mountain when Smaug attacks, will he survive? And is Smaug perhaps going to learn that metal isn't the only thing that can be golden... Based on the portrayal of Smaug in the book combined with the movie. This will be a short story featuring an OC, disclaimers and whatnot inside.


**Disclaimers and Author's note: I do not own anything associated to Tolkien's Middle earth, but I do however own any character not appearing in the works of Tolkien. **

**Let's see this is probably where I insert warnings and what not. This will be a short story as in 2-3 chapters (unless I someday feel the acute need to extend it), it will feature an OC and hopefully I will be able to keep Smaug somewhat in character, but he might show some trait that might not have seemed apparent in the book or movie, but I think most hints were there (at least based on my personal interpretation of it). He will of course have some minor tweaks and alterations to fit my story, but I want him to be similar to the dragon in the source material. **

**I plan to have this rated T and it won't feature any extreme gore (but I'm not sure how you define that, it will be more implicit than explicit anyways), although warnings are in place about Smaug being cruel (maybe we should call this a 15+ to be safe). **

**Enjoy**

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**1. A city in flames**

Cal ran. Ran as fast as his legs would carry him. They were dead, all of them… He heard the dragon's roar reverberate through the great halls. The great halls filled with golden statues of dwarven kings, kings that had been gone for centuries, and would now stand as the sole testimonies of the kingdom that was falling this very moment. He knew this mountain; the exit wasn't too far away.

Just one more turn and he would enter the great treasure chamber. Flames danced over the wall in the end of the hall, scorching it. Cal stopped and started backing away from the growing heat. Maybe the treasure chamber wasn't a good idea. The fire ceased. Yesterday the halls had been filled with the bustle of commerce, reunions of missed friends and laughter, but now all Cal heard was the heavy breathing of the beast that had ended a civilization.

He heard the slivers of scale and the clicks of claws against polished marble. Was it coming his way? Quickly rushing to a newly formed crevice in the wall he did his best to remain silent. The sound came closer and closer, and yet again closer. When it stopped he couldn't tell if it was still in the treasure chamber, or if it was currently deciding over the tastiest way to eat him. The echoes of its breathing surrounded him, concealing his own restrained breath from the beast.

Then it moved again. Now with greater haste, but into the treasury. He sighed and exited the crevice. The exit on the other side of the treasury was his best chance. When he was young, or at least younger, his friends had always complained about him being too stealthy when playing sheep and wolf. Maybe that would be what saved his life now… a child's game. He moved slowly, being careful not to let his shoes omit a single squeak or his clothes rustle the slightest.

His heart was racing when he peeked into the treasury. Several pillars that had stood tall for centuries had been toppled, but the mountains of gold and other assortments of treasure remained. Most importantly, the dragon was nowhere to be seen. With that small encouragement he moved into the immense chamber that could fit a castle. He scurried from pillar to pillar while remaining close to the wall, still intent on advancing in silence.

The occasional rustle of coins being stepped on received several creative combinations of foul words, although the words were all uttered in Cal's head. But then, he heard something more. A gush of wind. Boots furiously hitting marble. He had to hide.

The next pillar was mere feet away. A blast of wind hit him almost knocking him from his feet. The pillar didn't offer much concealment. He hadn't been spotted, but he saw the owners of the boots, followed by the dragon. It landed on a hill of gold, blocking the dwarves' path. The dragon was clad in red scales, although not as red as the liquid that stained its scales. With none of that liquid being its own.

Cal stood there by his pillar, frozen in awe and shock horror. It craned its neck over the dwarves, revealing several arms-long teeth. He couldn't describe it but he saw greedy hunger in the eyes of the dragon, a craving for gold and blood. The dwarves were going to die, he knew it, but he didn't want to watch. But his body wouldn't move. Then a brave dwarf stepped forward with his axe drawn.

The dragon only opened its mouth, and started laughing. Everything around him reverberated with that grim laughter, but then it stopped. It was smiling. He almost expected it to speak but then it arched its head backward and started to emanate some sort of light. The dragon was preparing its fire. Realizing this, the dwarves dropped what they had in hand and started running. This only seemed to amuse the dragon further.

Cal couldn't bear it, couldn't watch them die, but, he was powerless. What would those dwarves leave in this world? Did they have families waiting on the outside? Families that would mourn their losses? Probably. He wasn't used to crying but tears threatened to emerge from his eyes. _"NO!"_

The light faded from the dragon and it swung its head around, now watching him. He had spoken, or rather screamed the word aloud. It approached him slowly, like a feline approaching its prey. He didn't realize it, but he started backing away. His eyes darted between the dragons different deadly features. Fangs and claws might have been bad enough, but the dragon's eyes were filled with mocking intelligence. Then he stumbled backwards.

He landed flat on his back. Some air was knocked out of him, but this sensation was overshadowed by the dragon that was now pinning him down to the ground. Its face was mere inches above his lithe body, and it stared him down. It didn't touch him but the stare and pure proximity kept him from moving a single muscle. Then it spoke.

"What are you?" The words were spoken in a powerful but restrained voice, and it covered him in warm breath with the distinct smell of smoke.

"I, I'm… I…" He stuttered. Was there anyone left that would miss him? Or was he going to be joining them in the afterlife? It was of no importance, the dragon would get the information it wanted and then kill him.

"Answer my question or your death shall be all too premature." It bared its fangs in a smile, and some of the red liquid Cal had seen earlier started to drop down on him, staining his clothes.

"I am a human," he started while doing his best to form each independent word, and then he added "most magnificent of dragons". He had read that dragons would respond well to flattery, but he hadn't tried to flatter it; it was the truth; it was magnificent in its own awe and horror inspiring way.

It snorted. "A human…" Pausing it made a show of tasting the feel of the word. "That was hardly the answer I sought." It lifted its head slightly to Cal's great relief, but the head was soon replaced by a scaled paw that physically pinned him down to the floor littered with treasure. "What. Are. You? I have never known a creature that would sacrifice its own life for another being."

Was that a hint of intrigue? A hint of a way to survive? No, he was fooling himself; the dragon was curious, nothing more. "I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I'm simply me." His heart was racing. The dragon was pressing down on his chest, and combined with a decently sized goblet edging its way into his back, his breathing had turned labored and his speech likewise.

It lowered its head once again. "Then what do they call a creature such as yourself?" It was not much more than a whisper, as if it didn't want any living being to overhear. The warm breath shrouded him again; the smell made Cal's skin prickle, but the warmth did the opposite.

"My name is Cal." _Damn, that goblet has a sharp edge…_ he thought. His vision was becoming hazed from the increasing pain in combination with hypoxia, but he still managed to add. "May I inquire your name? oh mighty one."

The dragon then proceeded by lifting the weight from the boy's body and stretching out at its full height. "My name is Smaug the magnificent, the terrifying, the awe inspiring and new king beneath the mountain."

Cal didn't disagree with any of those titles, but he was more concerned with what had partially lodged itself in his back. He removed it and tried to rise. When he got to his knees he experienced a feeling similar to a knife in the chest. Grasping his side he gasped for breath. A broken rib.

"Do you regret it now?"

"Regret what?" He spat the words out, not in defiance, but since he couldn't manage any other way.

"Regret saving those repulsive dwarves." Yet again Smaug covered him in air smelling of smoke, but from a slightly greater distance.

"No." He said with a pained smile, it was the truth.

"Interesting…"

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**Authors note**

**What do you think? Please tell me in a review. I always have many questions about what I've written so I would love to get some answers through a review. This time I wonder what you think about how I made Cal seem distant at times, if you noticed it, or if it just was something you found weird. I might mark this story as complete in 1 (or 2) chapters, but I'm always seeking to improve, so if you find any mistakes or oddities please tell me and I'll seek to implement those improvements when I revise this piece.**

**Happy Holidays! Hopefully you'll be able to see the second chapter during the holidays! :)**


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